Bill Wilder, The Preaching I Long For
If I could issue a plea to our pastors and priests and ministers of the Word in the world today, it would be this: Give me Christ, or else I die.
I mean that in the most specific sense—not just what Christ can do in me or to me or for me or through me (or the church or the world), but Jesus Christ himself, clearly portrayed as crucified and preached as having been raised from the dead. Not Jesus Christ as the assumption or foundation or the means for all that is preached, but as its very content and core.
So, please, preach Christ. Preach him in all of Scripture. Show him to me in all his varied aspects: the true image and likeness of God, the wisdom and word of God by whom all things were made, the second Adam who has subjected all things to himself, the seed of Abraham and seed of David, the prophet like Moses, the ruler and deliverer and righteous one, our paschal lamb and the rock that followed the Israelites, the rejected stone who is also a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, the speaker and subject of the psalms, the son of God and Spirit-anointed king, the Isaianic servant and the one like a son of man, the temple of God, the restored Israel, the Lord of the Shema, the yes to all of God’s promises, our wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption...
This is what I need to hear. Because my attention is so easily drawn to lesser things—to my plans, my ambitions, my problems, my triumphs, my failures, my family, my friends, my church, my community. So, please, turn my eyes upon Jesus. Help me to look full in his wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely clear in the light of his glory and grace.
Do you want me to repent of my sins? Then show me Jesus—in his robust goodness and love and self-sacrifice. Linger on that. Do you want to bring me to hope in the midst of suffering? Then show me Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him, endured the cross and scorned its shame. Do you want me to know what it really means to be human? Then show me Jesus in his cruciform love and resurrection glory. Do you want me to worship God? Then show me Jesus, the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature.
What I really need is a vision (not of myself or my community or even the church or the world but) of Christ! Give me that and all these things will be added unto me.
So tell me more about my Jesus. Lead me to worship and to love and to repentance and to hope and to faith. Because I can see the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. Because I know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
So preach what promotes Christ. For his sake. For mine.
Give me Christ, or else I die.
Amen!
Posted by: Tariq Khan | May 11, 2007 at 11:11 AM
Amen, amen, and amen.
Posted by: Milton Stanley | May 11, 2007 at 03:22 PM
thanks for putting into words the God-enabled longing of many hearts within the church today.
Posted by: bryce | May 11, 2007 at 05:49 PM
Hallelujah! Wonderful post, let us see more of this kind of blogging!
Be encouraged!
GBYAY
Posted by: Rev John T Brown | May 11, 2007 at 08:29 PM
Jesus loves you.
Posted by: nancy | May 13, 2007 at 11:59 AM
Sounds like you should be preaching! :)
Posted by: Steve Sensenig | May 13, 2007 at 08:05 PM
Amen!
Posted by: Steve | May 13, 2007 at 10:42 PM
Thank you Dan Eleden for linking here so we could be reassured not all is lost ... and thanks bro. Wilder for reminding us of what biblical preaching is all about.
Posted by: John Gillmartin | May 14, 2007 at 09:59 AM
Bill,
Your rant on needing Jesus rocks. You sound tired of "5 principles for Your Best Life Now" or "Foundstions of the Christian view of_____." Your tribe is increasing.
J
Posted by: justholco | May 14, 2007 at 11:08 AM
Bill,
Thanks for reminder. We all need it. Home from Iraq, I was on mid-tour leave from my 2nd tour of duty a yr. and a half ago. We went to Savannah. Mid-week, my wife and I were checking out downtown churches. We went into Independent Pres, a beautiful, historic, church. I couldn't resist the urge to climb the spiral stairs into the elevated pulpit. Right before I was able to see the pews, my eyes caught the brass plaque centered on the inside of the pulpit that only the pastor can see it. It reads simply, "Sir, We would see Jesus..." I almost wept. That was a powerful reminder then, and your post has been an equally powerful reminder now. Thank you.
Posted by: Timo Fary | May 15, 2007 at 01:51 AM
I couldn't have put it better myself. God bless. John
Posted by: John Brand | May 19, 2007 at 04:23 AM
The song "Christ or else I die" can be found on redmountain music with the lyrics, chords and a clip. It is stunning and has become the theme music of my life. I just proposed to my church study group that rather than shape the bible study around "self-improvement" we study Jesus--they declined preferring the Christian self-help method of finding a "better me". I gave them the lyrics to the song, this article, and said, good-bye.
Christ, Or Else I Die
Taken from the Gadsby Hymnal # 737
Words - William Hammond, 1719-1783
Music - Drew Holcomb, 2004
D G
Gracious Lord, incline thy ear;
D G
My requests vouchsafe to hear;
D G
Hear my never-ceasing cry;
A G D
Give me Christ, or else I die.
Wealth and honor I disdain,
Earthly comforts, Lord are vain;
These can never satisfy:
Give me Christ, or else I die.
refrain:
Bm A G
All unholy and unclean,
Bm A G
I am nothing else but sin;
Bm A G
On thy mercy I rely;
A G D
Give me Christ, or else I die.
Thou dost freely save the lost;
In thy grace alone I trust.
With my earnest suit comply;
Give me Christ, or else I die.
Thou dost promise to forgive
All who in thy Son believe;
Lord, I know thou canst not lie;
Give me Christ, or else I die.
© 2005 Red Mountain Music
www.redmountainmusic.com
Posted by: Caroline | April 12, 2008 at 05:07 AM
The song "Christ or else I die" can be found on redmountain music with the lyrics, chords and a clip. It is stunning and has become the theme music of my life. I just proposed to my church study group that rather than shape the bible study around "self-improvement" we study Jesus--they declined preferring the Christian self-help method of finding a "better me". I gave them the lyrics to the song, this article, and said, good-bye.
Christ, Or Else I Die
Taken from the Gadsby Hymnal # 737
Words - William Hammond, 1719-1783
Music - Drew Holcomb, 2004
D G
Gracious Lord, incline thy ear;
D G
My requests vouchsafe to hear;
D G
Hear my never-ceasing cry;
A G D
Give me Christ, or else I die.
Wealth and honor I disdain,
Earthly comforts, Lord are vain;
These can never satisfy:
Give me Christ, or else I die.
refrain:
Bm A G
All unholy and unclean,
Bm A G
I am nothing else but sin;
Bm A G
On thy mercy I rely;
A G D
Give me Christ, or else I die.
Thou dost freely save the lost;
In thy grace alone I trust.
With my earnest suit comply;
Give me Christ, or else I die.
Thou dost promise to forgive
All who in thy Son believe;
Lord, I know thou canst not lie;
Give me Christ, or else I die.
© 2005 Red Mountain Music
www.redmountainmusic.com
Posted by: Caroline | April 12, 2008 at 05:08 AM